I you live long enough in Japan this is just concept as viewed by an outsider. Their dollar store is full of almost useless ideas put out in the market. Even the blue LED was discovered because a company owner invested millions and his scientist was not afraid to try new ideas. You will find all sorts of camera styles on their electronic stores. Even their appliances have all kind of categories and you wont see the west even trying to put it out in the market.
Meh. My experience working there wasn't so much that original ideas were frowned upon as much as thinking/saying you're better than your group-mates for having them was. It's a subtle difference, but I saw plenty of novel ideas take root, but only after an excruciatingly long period of socialization. In the states and in most of Europe, it seems if you have a good idea, you just blurt it out and people say "hunh. that sounds like a good idea. let's do that thing." But Japan and Sweden required A LOT of planning and hemming and hawing about whether the new idea was a good thing to do.
What you’re referring to is called nemawashi in Japan , literally “digging around the roots of a tree”. It’s formal business etiquette understood by all office workers. One shouldn’t blurt out ideas to an unprepared group, but spread the idea around before especially to the superior. If they reject the idea they don’t have to embarrass you in front of others, or lose face in public for being taken by surprise.
In the states and in most of Europe, it seems if you have a good idea, you just blurt it out and people say "hunh. that sounds like a good idea. let's do that thing."
It might vary from company to company, but I find the response is more “you should do that thing”. People are too busy with their own ideas to waste time building yours.
